Combination container and tray



Nov. 26, 1968 ANDREWS ET AL 3,412,888

COMBINATION CONTAINER AND TRAY Filed Sept. 15, 1967 INVENTORS. JAMES M. ANDREWS, .x/mimmrmv 750 A Mums BY ym Mire gal 3,412,888 COMBINATION CONTAINER AND TRAY James M. Andrews, James R. Patton, and Ted I Martens, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignors to Sinclair-Koppers Company, a partnership of Delaware Filed Sept. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 667,989 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact plastic container is provided having a unitary top portion and a unitary receptacle portion of a configuration that allows the closed containers to be stacked one upon another and which, when disassembled and used as a tray, allows for the secure positioning of the receptacle portion into an inverted lid portion, con serving space and providing strength for the tray. The superimposed lid is frictionally secured to the receptacle portion to provide a seal and to insulate the contents of the container from the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Foam polystyrene is well known for its insulating properties. Numerous containers composed of foam polystyrene have been suggested for the transfer of hot or cold foodstuffs. In order to maintain the insulating properties, the containers must, of course, be covered which requires a receptacle portion and a cover portion. When the container is opened, the cover portion is generally in the way and the receptacle portion, unless of thick proportions, is fragile and easily damaged. The covered container also requires storage space, and it is desirable to provide a compact container which will require the least amount of storage space.

A container formed according to the configuration of the present invention allows for stacking of closed containers to conserve storage space and the frictional sealing of the lid portion to the receptacle portion. In addition, the lid portion, when inverted, is of such a configuration that the receptacle portion nests securely therein providing both a use for said disassembled lid and additional strength to the receptacle portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a compact container formed from foam polystyrene sheet. The container comprises a unitary lid portion that is frictionally locked to a unitary receptacle portion providing a seal to insulate the contents of the container. The lid and receptacle portions are of such configuration that, upon removing and inverting the lid portion, the receptacle portion will nest securely in the inverted lid portion. This provides support and strengthening of the receptacle portion which thus serves as a tray and provides additional protection for the surface upon which the tray is placed, should the tray contain hot foodstuffs.

The objects and novel features of the invention are described by the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the States Patent O Patented Nov. 26, 1968 ice drawings are not intended as a definition of the invention, but are for the purpose of illustration only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings wherein like parts are marked alike:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the assembled container of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the containers of FIGURE 1 stacked one upon the other.

FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional exploded view of the receptacle portion of the container positioned for insertion into an inverted lid portion of the container to form a strengthened tray.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a receptacle portion inserted in an inverted lid portion to form a strengthened tray.

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the cooperation between the superimposed lid portion and receptacle portion to form a frictional seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated the unitary lid portion 1 having a pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending side walls 3 and 3 and a pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending end walls 5 and 5, transverse to the side walls. The substantially horizontally disposed top wall 7, is attached to each of the side and end walls forming an open bottom structure and is recessed with respect to the upper periphery 9 of the end and side walls. The recessing of the top wall 7 provides a concavity 11 for the purpose of stacking assembled containers of the present invention. Each of the side walls 3 and 3 and the end walls 5 and 5' terminate in outwardly and downwardly extending flanges 13 which are more specifically defined hereinafter.

The unitary receptacle portion 21 of the container of the invention is iilustrated in FIGURE 3, showing a pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending side walls 23 and 23' and a pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending end walls 25 and 25' transverse to said side walls. The lower edges of the side walls and end walls are attached to a substantially horizontally disposed bottom wall 27 forming an open top structure. Each of the side walls 23 and 23' and end walls 25 and 25' terminate in substantially horizontally disposed outwardly extending lips 29.

In assembling the container of the invention, following placement of articles in the unitary receptacle portion 21, the unitary lid portion 1 is superimposed on the unitary receptacle portion 21. The assembled container, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 provides protection and insulation for the articles therein. The elasticity of the foam polystyrene material from which the container of the invention is formed allows the superimposition of the flanges 13 of the lid portion 1 over the edge of the out wardly extending lip 29 of the receptacle portion 21. Because of the elasticity, such superimposition forms a frictional seal which seals the lid portion in place and helps to protect the contents of the assembled container from the atmosphere.

The frictional securing of the lid portion 1 with its flanges 13 to the receptacle portion 21 and its lips 29 is more specifically illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Because of the flexible properties of foam polystyrene sheet, when the lid portion 1 is superimposed on the receptacle portionzl, the lips 29 frictionally secure the lid portion by exerting slight outward pressures on the flanges 13. This frictional seal protects contents of the container from the atmosphere and secures the lid portion in place.

The assembled containers are easily stacked one upon another as shown in FIGURE 2. The bottom wall 27 of the receptacle portion 21 is of such dimensions that the receptacle portion nests securely in the concavity 11 of the lid portion 1 when placed therein. Such nesting prevents slippage of stacked containers and also conserves storage space as can readily be seen from FIGURE 2.

A unique aspect of the container of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 which show the container with its unitary receptacle portion 21 and unitary lid portion 1 combined for use as a tray. In forming such a tray, the removed unitary top portion 1 is inverted, that is turned upside down, as illustrated in FIG- URE 3. The configuration and dimensions of the unitary top portion 1 are such that the unitary receptacle portion 21 will nest securely when placed therein. When the unitary receptacle portion is so inserted, the bottom wall 27 can rest on the top wall 7, while the lips 29 can rest upon the flanges 13. This configuration provides support for the unitary receptacle portion 21 and additional insulation to protect the surface upon which the tray is resting from hot articles wtihin the tray.

The material used to make the container is foam polystyrene sheet. Foam polystyrene sheet, because of its resiliency, provides the frictional seal formed when the unitary top portion is superimposed on the receptacle portion. Also, foam polystyrene is an excellent insulating material and will maintain the contents of the container at desired temperatures.

When used as a food container and combination tray, it is desirable to use a laminate of a plastic material and foam polystyrene sheet. An excellent laminate for such a purpose is one of foam polystyrene sheet such as Dylite foam polystyrene and a film of crystal polystyrene such as Dylene polystyrene. The film provides a glossy, resistant surface for the interior of the container and provides additional strength to the container. Laminates of foam polystyrene and other plastic film materials such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers or the like are also useable.

The sheet material from which the trays are formed can be of varying thicknesses. Generally, the polystyrene foam sheet can be in the range of -100 mils thickness. The film material laminated on the foam polystyrene sheet material when used, should generally be in the range of -100 mils. The actual thicknesses would depend upon the end use of the container.

Particularly useful containers which have been made according to the present invention are those formed from a laminate of the 10 mil polystyrene film on 30 mil foam polystyrene sheet. The dimensions of the container are dependent upon the end use thereof. Containers of rec tangular configuration of 4 x 6 inches and 8 x 10 inches, being especially useful for foodstuffs have been found desirable, but the container can be of larger or smaller dimensions.

The container can be formed by using conventional techniques such as heat forming, vacuum forming, etc. Suitable such techniques are known in the art. Exemplary of such techniques are those described in Koppers Technical Bulletin Thermoforming Foam Polystyrene Sheet and Polystyrene-Foam Polystyrene Laminates, Bulletin C-9-273, chapter 40, Apr. 15, 1952.

There has been described a compact foam polystyrene container which when closed can be stacked in columns and which provides insulation and protection for the contents. Upon removal and inversion, the lid portion thereof, the container is converted into an insulating and strengthened tray.

4 What is claimed is: 1. A stackable foam polystyrene sheet container comprising:

(a) a unitary receptacle portion having:

(1) a first pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending side walls;

(2) a first pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending end walls transverse to said side walls;

(3) a substantially horizontally disposed bottom wall attached to the lower edges of said side and end Walls to form an open top structure, said side walls and end walls terminating in substantially horizontally disposed outwardly extending lips; and

(b) a unitary lid portion having:

(1) a second pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending side Walls;

(2) a second pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending end walls transverse to said side walls;

(3) a substantially horizontally disposed top wall, said top wall being recessed with respect to the upper periphery of said second pairs of side and end walls and attached to said second pairs of side and end Walls to form an open bottom structure, said recess being of the dimension of the bottom wall of said receptacle portion, whereby a receptacle portion can nest in the concavity formed thereby;

(4) said second pairs of side walls and end walls terminating in outwardly and downwardly extending flanges, whereby said lid portion is frictionally securable upon the lips of said receptacle portion when a lid portion is superimposed thereon;

(5 said lid portion being of such dimensions so that when inverted, a receptacle portion will nest securely in said inverted lid portion with the unitary receptacle portion bottom wall resting on the inner face of the top wall of the unitary lid portion.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said foam polystyrene sheet has laminated thereto a film of polystyrene.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the outer periphery of said lips of said receptacle portion are capable of resting upon the inner periphery of said flanges of said inverted lid portion.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said foam polystyrene sheet has laminated thereto a film of acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene terpolymer.

5. In a container formed from foam polystyrene sheet, the combination comprising:

(a) a unitary receptacle portion having:

(1) a first pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending side walls;

(2) a first pair of opposed outwardly and upwardly extending end walls transverse to said side walls;

(3) a substantially horizontally disposed bottom wall attached to the lower edges of said side and end walls to form an open top structure, said side walls and end walls terminating in substantially horizontally disposed outwardly extending lips; and

(b) a unitary lid portion having:

(1) a second pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending side walls;

(2) a second pair of opposed outwardly and downwardly extending end walls transverse to said side walls;

(3) a substantially horizontally disposed top wall, said top wall being recessed with respect to the upper periphery of said second pairs of side and end walls and attached to said second pairs of side and end walls to form an open bottom structure, said recess being of the dimension of the bottom wall of said receptacle portion, whereby a receptacle portion can nest in the conlid portion, and the outer periphery of said lips of said receptacle portion resting upon the inner periphery of said flanges of said inverted lid portion.

cavity formed thereby; 5 (4) said second pairs of side walls and end walls terminating in outwardly and downwardly extending flanges, whereby said lid portion is fric- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS tionally securable upon the lips of said receptaa g 220 17 X cle portion when a lid portion is superimposed 10 3001665 9/1961 gfi fi thereon;

(5) said lid portion being of such dimensions so 3326408 6/1967 Rmglen' that when inverted, a receptacle portion will nest THERON E CONDON Primary Examiner securely in said inverted lid portion with the unitary receptacle portion bottom wall resting 15 GARRETT,ASSiSfanf Examineron the inner face of the top wall of the unitary 

